Numbers don't lie: 2011 deficit on track to eclipse $1.3 trillion

Here's a little item tucked away on The Hill newsite that won't help the president's re-election bid.Less revenue in September will push the federal budget deficit above $1.3 trillion:

The Congressional Budget Office on Friday said that the federal budget deficit is on track to be $1.3 trillion this year, $14 billion more than the deficit CBO predicted in August.

Despite all the wrangling in the spring between Republicans and Democrats about budget cuts, 2011 saw spending outlays increase by 4.2 percent compared to 2010. This included a 1 percent increase in defense spending and 1 percent increase in Medicaid spending.

Medicare and Social Security spending rose by 4 percent, a foretaste of the ballooning in entitlement expenses expected to occur as baby boomers retire.

CBO said the change from the August estimate was due in part to certain payments being made in September rather than October and because revenue was $11 billion less than expected. The decline in revenue occurred in part due to delays in processing payments because of natural disasters, CBO said.

Final deficit numbers for fiscal 2011, which ended Sept. 30, will be out later this month from the Treasury Department.

Overall, the budget deficit will be 8.6 percent of the economy, making 2011 the third-highest year since the end of World War II, after 2009 and 2010. The 2009 deficit, which included the Obama stimulus spending package, was the highest, increasing to 10 percent of the economy.

This is a number that will hang over Obama's political fortunes until election day. And the prospect of FY 2012 being even worse because of the possibility of a double dip recession will only highlight the total incompetence and mismanagement of this president's term in office.

Here's a little item tucked away on The Hill newsite that won't help the president's re-election bid.

Less revenue in September will push the federal budget deficit above $1.3 trillion:

The Congressional Budget Office on Friday said that the federal budget deficit is on track to be $1.3 trillion this year, $14 billion more than the deficit CBO predicted in August.

Despite all the wrangling in the spring between Republicans and Democrats about budget cuts, 2011 saw spending outlays increase by 4.2 percent compared to 2010. This included a 1 percent increase in defense spending and 1 percent increase in Medicaid spending.

Medicare and Social Security spending rose by 4 percent, a foretaste of the ballooning in entitlement expenses expected to occur as baby boomers retire.

CBO said the change from the August estimate was due in part to certain payments being made in September rather than October and because revenue was $11 billion less than expected. The decline in revenue occurred in part due to delays in processing payments because of natural disasters, CBO said.

Final deficit numbers for fiscal 2011, which ended Sept. 30, will be out later this month from the Treasury Department.

Overall, the budget deficit will be 8.6 percent of the economy, making 2011 the third-highest year since the end of World War II, after 2009 and 2010. The 2009 deficit, which included the Obama stimulus spending package, was the highest, increasing to 10 percent of the economy.

This is a number that will hang over Obama's political fortunes until election day. And the prospect of FY 2012 being even worse because of the possibility of a double dip recession will only highlight the total incompetence and mismanagement of this president's term in office.